The Pembrokeshire Branch of the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) has voted the Cresselly Arms at Creswell Quay its 2024 ‘Pub of the Year’.

CAMRA Branch Chair, Mrs Alwen Thomas, presented the award to Mr. Steve Adams, the pub's landlord, at a well attended ceremony on Saturday, April 6, commenting: “The Cresselly Arms is a traditional village pub at the heart of the local community, focussed on serving an interesting range of real cask ale in tip-top condition.

“Exactly the sort of pub CAMRA is campaigning to preserve and defend. We made the Cresselly Arms our ‘Pub of the Year’ in 2015 and I am delighted to say that since then, whilst the landlord may have changed, the character of the pub and the calibre of its ale has been staunchly upheld”.

Accepting the award, Mr Adams said: “I really appreciate the award and am always happy to support CAMRA.”

Mr Adams took over management of the 250-year-old, riverside pub in September 2021, having previously been landlord of the nearby Lawrenny Arms for 15 years.

Being a publican is in the family, it seems, with hi brother running the popular Station House Hotel, next to Whitland railway station.

The Pembrokeshire pub now goes forward to the competition to decide CAMRA's West Wales ‘Pub of the Year’. If it wins that it will go on to the Wales and UK national CAMRA ‘Pub of the Year’ competitions.

CAMRA’s National Pub of the Year is the annual competition to find the very best pub in the UK.

Running since 1988, the competition helps to showcase quality pubs around the UK that are the best places in which to enjoy a pint of real ale.

CAMRA was founded by four real ale enthusiasts back in 1971.

In 2016 CAMRA commissioned research from Professor Robin Dunbar of Oxford University on the role of pubs at the heart of their community.

The report found that pubs play a key role in facilitating friendships and that those who have a local pub are happier, more trusting and better connected to their community.